Millennium Tower (San Francisco) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Millennium Tower
Millennium Tower in San Francisco, CA.
General information
Type	Residential condominiums
Location	301 Mission Street San Francisco, California
Coordinates	37°47′25″N 122°23′46″W / 37.7904°N 122.3961°W / 37.7904; -122.3961
Construction started	2005
Completed	2009
Opening	April 23, 2009
Cost	US$350 million
Owner	Mission Street Development, LLC
Height
Antenna spire	645 ft (197 m)
Roof	605 ft (184 m)
Top floor	592 ft (180 m)
Technical details
Floor count	58
Floor area	1,151,017 sq ft (106,933.0 m²)
Lifts/elevators	12
Design and construction
Architect	Handel Architects
Developer	Millennium Partners
Structural engineer	DeSimone Consulting Engineers
Main contractor	Webcor Builders
Other information
Number of units	419

301 Mission Street is a high-rise building in the South of Market district of downtown San Francisco. A mixed-use, primarily residential high rise, it is the tallest residential building in San Francisco. The building is currently undergoing repair over its ongoing sinking.

The blue-gray glass, late-modernist buildings are bounded by Mission, Fremont, and Beale Streets, and the north end of the Transbay Transit Center site. Opened to residents on April 23, 2009, 301 Mission includes two buildings: a 12-story tower located on the northeast of the property, and Millennium Tower, a 58-story, 645-foot-tall (197 m) condominium skyscraper. In total, the project has 419 residential units, with 53 of those units in the smaller tower. The larger tower's highest level, 58 floors above the ground, is listed as the 60th, because floors 13 and 44 are missing for superstitious reasons. Resident services include a private concierge and access to the 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m²) Owner's Club Level, which features amenities such as a private lounge, wine cellar, and fitness center. The development's "lifestyle" program organizes cultural events.

In May 2016, residents were informed the main tower was both sinking and tilting, resulting in several lawsuits concerning repair costs and whether the tilt had been withheld from buyers.

Description
History
Sinking and tilting problem
Awards
Gallery
Notable residents
Images for kids
See also

Description

The US$350 million project was developed by Millennium Partners of New York City, designed by Handel Architects, engineered by DeSimone Consulting Engineers and constructed by Webcor Builders. At 645 ft (197 m), it is the tallest concrete structure in San Francisco, the fourth tallest building in San Francisco overall, and the tallest since 345 California Street in 1986. It was also the tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River when finished (later surpassed by The Austonian in Texas). The tower is slender, with each floor containing 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m²) of floor space. In addition to the 58-story tower, there is a 125 ft (38 m), 11-story tower on the northeast end of the complex. Between the two towers is a 43 ft (13 m), two-story glass atrium. In total, the project has 419 units.

The residences are said to be the priciest on the West Coast, with the penthouse unit selling for US$13 million in December, 2016. The bottom 25 floors of the main tower are called Residences while the floors from 26 to the top have the name Grand Residences. The 53 units in the separate 12-story tower are called the City Residences. Below street level, there are 434 parking spaces in a five-level subterranean garage located under the 11-story tower. The building is located next to the site of the future Transbay Transit Center. Overall, the tower's design is intended to resemble a translucent crystal, and is a landmark for the Transbay Redevelopment and the southern skyline of San Francisco.

Millennium Tower is also home to RN74, a restaurant and wine bar under the direction of Chef Michael Mina, located on the ground floor.

History

The Millennium Tower in August 2016

Millennium Partners first proposed the development in 2002 with 163 condominiums, 108 rentals and a 136-unit "extended stay" hotel rooms. The project was approved in 2003 by the S.F. Planning Commission 4–1 and construction began in 2005. The only against vote came from Planning Commissioner Sue Lee.

On September 6, 2010, Dan Goodwin, also known as SpiderDan and Skyscraperman, scaled the outside of the tower using suction cups. Following the climb, Goodwin was arrested by the San Francisco police, who charged him with trespassing and creating a public nuisance.

In 2013, the building sold its final unit, generating US$750 million in total sales, a 25 percent return on the estimated US$600 million in development costs.

Sinking and tilting problem

construction next to the tower

In 2016, it was released to the public that the building was sinking and tilting. The foundation of the structure is a concrete slab built on 60–90 feet (18-27m) deep concrete friction piles into mud fill and sand, which is a poor ground type for supporting large structures. A number of other buildings in this part of San Francisco required use of end-bearing piles, which load directly onto bedrock, rather than friction piles. If end-bearing piles were used for the Millennium Tower, they would have needed to be approximately 200 feet (60m) deep to bear onto bedrock, up to three times longer than the existing friction piling solution used. An examination in 2016 showed the building had sunk 16 inches with a two-inch tilt at the base and an approximate six-inch tilt at the top of the tower. The building is leaning toward the northwest. Millennium Partners blames the sinking problem on the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) and their nearby construction. However, the sinking problem had reportedly started before the Transbay construction even broke ground. The building's homeowners association, represented by attorney David Casselman, is suing the builder Webcor, Millennium Partners, and the TJPA. Another group of tenants, led by patent litigator Jerry Dodson, is suing Millennium Partners, the City of San Francisco, and the TJPA.

In November 2016, the city of San Francisco filed suit against the tower's developer Mission Street Developers LLC, claiming that the developers withheld information on the sinking problems from potential apartment buyers. Mission Street Developers rejected the city's claims.

Sage Engineers has been hired by Millennium Partners to provide an engineering study on the sinking problem. Some experts have prognosticated that the cost to fix the tilt could exceed the liability insurance held by Millennium Partners and the building's various construction vendors. If the TJPA is found to be at fault, San Francisco taxpayers could end up paying for the repairs.

As of 2017^[update], a city inspection has found that the building is still safe to occupy, though there has been damage to the foundation and electrical system.

Awards

Millennium Tower sign on the South facade

The building has garnered several awards from several engineering and architectural organisations.

2008: American Concrete Institute Awards, Northern California – Construction
2008: Concrete Industry Board – Roger H. CIB Award of Merit
2009: American Society of Civil Engineers, Region 9 – Structural Engineering Project of the Year
2008: American Society of Civil Engineers, San Francisco Section – Outstanding Structural Engineering Project
2009: Metal Architecture Magazine – April 2009 edition Top Honor
2009: California Construction – Outstanding Project Management
2009: California Construction – Multi-family/Residential, Award of Merit
2010: San Francisco Business Times – Deal of the Year Award
2010: San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards – Building San Francisco Award